Prince Edward Island becomes a Province of Canada National Historic Event
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Watercolour of Government House, 1854
(© Library and Archives Canada | Bibliothèque et Archives Canada / Acc. No. R9266-161, Peter Winkworth Collection of Canadiana | Collection de Canadiana Peter Winkworth)
Address :
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
1950-05-31
Other Name(s):
-
Prince Edward Island becomes a Province of Canada
(Designation Name)
Importance:
Became the seventh province in 1873, after achieving responsible government in 1851
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: 16 Fitzroy Street, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest province, was formerly called Abegweit, Île Saint Jean and St. John's Island to denote the Micmac, French and British regime. Ceded by France to Great Britain in 1763, it was granted colonial status in 1769 and responsible government in 1851. Confederation initially left Islanders unimpressed and it was not until 1873 that economic and political forces convinced them that they should become the seventh province of the Dominion. The first Lieutenant Governor after Confederation was William Francis Cleaver Robinson and the first Premier was James Colledge Pope.